Iceland Imagined

"The narrative moves swiftly and elegantly over unusual grounds. . . . The final chapter discusses two present-day controversies . . . Oslund argues convincingly that in both these controversies stories that travelers had written in the 18th and 19th centuries . . . were retold. In doing so she also demonstrates the present day relevance of studying how Iceland has been imagined in the past."—Arne Kaijser, Technology and Culture, Vol. 53 July 2012

"The book is well written and detailed. . . . The outcome is a mental journey in the vast and varying region of the North Atlantic, which brings forward surprisingly many details, even for someone raised and living in Iceland."—Helga Ogmundardottir, H-Environment, April 2012

"One should read this book for its history of ideas and perceptions and its grasp of the tensions that exist and have existed at cultural frontiers . . ."—Russell Fielding, Geographical Review, Vol. 102(1)

"The book is sure to be of interest to those studying Iceland and the North Atlantic's culture and environmental history and those interested in the European understanding of that region. Summing Up: Recommended."—Choice, February 2012

"Oslund's comprehensive critical analysis of the narratives and counter-narratives of the gradual evolution of Iceland and the North Atlantic's perceived exoticism into a regulated, normalized part of 'our' world is a valuable contribution to the fields of environmental, cultural and linguistic history, and to Scandinavian scholarship in general."—John D. Shafer, European History Quarterly, May 2014

"An excellent work, covering unusual ground. The author's mastery of a variety of contexts—Inuit, Faroese, Icelandic, Scandinavian—and different periods—historical and modern—is admirable. Not only does Iceland Imagined nicely chart important historical contours in the North Atlantic region, it offers numerous useful and original observations on themes in history, anthropology, literature, and linguistics."—Gisli Palsson, University of Iceland